1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a softener composition which provides excellent water absorbency to treated clothing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most of the presently commercially available softener compositions for ordinary household use are compositions comprising; as a main ingredient, Di-(hydrogenated beef tallow alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride.
This quaternary ammonium salt exerts good softening and antistatic effects to various fibers, even when used in small amounts.
It is believed that a softener molecule needs to impart a lipophilic property in order to exert excellent softening effects, since the softening effect by the softener is the result of a lowering of the friction coefficient on a fabric surface which is caused by a lubricating effect based upon the lipophilic parts of softener molecule adsorbed on the fabric surface.
However, this lipophilic property is defective in making the treated clothing water-repellant and reduces the water-absorbency of the treated clothing, especially causing a remarkable reduction in water-absorbency when the concentration of the softening agent is high.
From this point of view, many investigations on the softener compound have been conducted in order to improve the water-absorbency.
It is known that dioleyl dimethyl quaternary ammonium salt is a softener compound which exerts excellent water-absorbency (JAOCS, Vol. 60, No. 6, 1166-1169).
However, the softener compound comprising the above compound exerts more water-absorbency than Di-(hydrogenated beef tallow alkyl) dimethyl quaternary ammonium salt, yet it exerts less softening properties than the others.
On the other hand, even though the above compound is used with other softening agents, for example, Di-(hydrogenated beef tallow alkyl) dimethyl quaternary ammonium salt in order to improve the softening property, a reduction in water-absorbency occurs.
Under the situation described above, the present inventors have conducted research and studies eagerly in order to find the quaternary ammonium salt which exerts greater water-absorbency and a greater softening property than the usual dioleyl type quaternary ammonium salt. Consequently, the inventors have found that unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt having specific stereoisomeric structure exerts good softening effects as well as remarkably increased water-absorbency.